My Accidental Discovery of How to Remove Permanent Marker Ink

Don’t you hate it when you feel are able to fix one problem but accidentally create an even bigger one? That happened to me when I was trying to save a pair of pants I really like. I was quite proud to find a quick and easy fashion fix. What I wasn’t happy about, though, was that I had a new problem of trying to figure out how to remove permanent marker ink from my desk…

Quick DIY Fashion Fix for Black Clothing

I try to hold onto my clothes and purses as long as I can since I hate shopping with a vengeance. So, I try to use whatever fashion fix I can think of. I have this one pair of black dress pants. Not only do they fit well, but they’re pretty cute. The style is simple but the fabric is overlaid with lace. That gives the pants a nice feminine touch without being over the top. Also, the fabric is fairly thick and falls nicely without showing every nook and cranny (if you know what I mean). The only problem is that the lace seems to consist of black thread wrapped around white thread. After a few wears, some of the black thread moved and now some white is exposed. That meant my once black pants now have oddly placed specks of white all over them.

Of course, I only discovered this when I actually needed to wear them for a business event I was going to. As part of a hasty decision, I had the bright idea to use a black permanent marker to cover the white bits. Nervously, I started to color in my work pants. I did the front section, then flipped it over to finish up the back. It worked like a charm! Whew, was I proud of myself! But, then, I lifted up the pants and discovered that I kind of made a careless mistake.

Black Permanent Marker VS White Desk

I’m not sure how but, where I was working, there was a streak of black permanent marker now on our super white desk. Whoops… So, in fixing one problem, I ended up creating another. I tried using a damp cloth right away but the marker would not come off. I tried several cleaners to get rid of the pen mark from “goo” remover (which usually works) to auto lubricant (also removes residue sometimes) to glass cleaner (I was getting desperate). Nothing worked.

Then, Frans had the idea to try Clorox Clean-Up Cleaner + Bleach. Since it was a laminated surface, we decided to give it a try. After I sprayed the cleaner on, the pen mark wiped away immediately. It was ridiculously easy and fast! I only needed to wipe the area down with some water to remove any leftover liquid and we were good to go.

I actually drew on the table again (on purpose) so I could take photos of it for you. Whew! Good thing the Clorox Cleaner still worked…

After several more uses, the pants are finally starting to show some wear and it’s time to retire them. However, now I have another quick fashion fix to store in my head just in case. I also know how to remove any permanent marker ink that might accidentally land on our desk. 😀

Have you ever fixed one problem only to realize you created another?

TerriAnn van Gosliga is the main writer at Cookies & Clogs. Born & raised in the SF Bay Area but loves to travel. She's been married to her best friend for 18 years, used to homeschool her 17-year-old daughter before she started a public high school/college program, and has an accident-prone lab mix dog.